


[Unnamed]

by RelarOfFire



Category: Kingkiller Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Gen, blood ment, cursing, you know the usual with my writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 16:45:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15368928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RelarOfFire/pseuds/RelarOfFire
Summary: I got an ask on my blog and it spurred this happening. Bast has good intentions, but as they say: good intentions pave the road to hell.





	[Unnamed]

Everything was… confusing. How things had happened and gotten to such a point left him disoriented and almost sick just from trying to piece everything together. One minute things were fine and the next… 

Kote had been minding his own business and running the inn as usual. The inn was rather empty with the later hours, even his usual patrons who spent the night drinking had long gone home. But some traveler, or he had assumed was a traveler, was still sitting along the far wall and nursing their drink. They had to have been a traveler, since Kote couldn’t even pin-point where their clothes were from. 

They weren’t excessive like those in Vintas, nor would any Vintas individual be making their way through some shabby town such as Newarre. But they weren’t muted like Modegan fashion either. Which put Kote into a more quiet puzzlement as he slowly worked along the bar with his rag, carefully eyeing the person. No visible weapons, or anything military related either. Nothing showing they were Cealdish. It was stumping him more and more, wondering why a traveler was in his inn and hadn’t bothered asking for a room even so late at night.

Bast came in from the back and paused at the bar, opening his mouth to say something to Kote, but caught sight of the stranger. The next string of words were a loss to Kote’s human ears, the language unknown as Bast bound over to the stranger and they both began talking and laughing loudly.

Kote sighed softly and rolled his eyes, putting the rag on his shoulder with a bit of annoyance. Of course Bast had invited someone and not told him. He always did that despite being told to give some form of warning. Shaking his head, the innkeeper started to head back towards the kitchen to make sure things were ready for the morning.

“Ah-buh-buh!” Bast called over quickly, parting from his friend finally. He put his hands on the bar and smiled to the innkeeper, seeming excited. “Reshi, I want you to come meet my friend.”

“And I want you to warn me when you bring in guests.” Kote replied bluntly.

Bast pouted, “Come now, no need to be so harsh. Please? I asked them to come out all this way and they’ve been waiting all night.”

Kote eyed Bast carefully, non-verbally asking him if he had told them anything about him.

“I would  _never_. I’m almost offended you would think I would do such a thing. I’m your friend.” Bast huffed, crossing his arms onto the bar and leaning forward more. “Look, I haven’t seen them since I left to come learn from you. Getting a hold of them was hard enough, let alone telling them how to even get to this sad town. I might have also asked them a favor, but I didn’t tell them anything. Just wanted to try something to help you.”

“What did you ask?”

“You’ll have to come talk to them first. I didn’t give details or anything, don’t worry. I made it simple and boring, just like you would have wanted. Besides, they also want to know how my human teacher is; apparently everyone does. So this will help you and help me.” Bast replied, pushing back off the bar and tilting his head towards his friend. “Come on. Just a little while.”

Kote hesitated, rubbing his hands together softly in his tinge of anxiety. Something didn’t feel right, but not with what Bast was saying. Something about the situation was setting alarms off in his mind. But, he gave in, sighing softly and slowly walking after Bast to the far table. 

He crossed his arms when he got there and refused to sit, glancing to the door, before looking to the two fae sitting at the table. Compared to Bast, they were similar in some ways; eerily elegant, bright eyes, soft but defined features… The usual people look over for spotting fae. Though this person was more androgynous than Bast was, voice included.

“So, this is… him?” They asked, leaning towards Bast a bit more as they eyed Kote.

Bast nodded, “Yes! This is my friend and teacher.”

“…It’s nice to finally meet you, Reshi.”

“Call me Kote, please.” Kote replied, relaxing just a little. “Bast told me you are a friend of his. He doesn’t often have friends stay around here.”

“Oh-hoooo? That’s not what he told me!” They giggled, elbowing Bast who blushed. “I should have known better than to trust what he said. I hardly believed him that you existed, no offense manling.”

Kote waved a hand softly, before crossing his arms once more. “Average people are forgettable. Can I get you anything?”

“So polite. I wonder how much other things about you Bast was wrong about.” They mused, making Bast hiss and kick their shins under the table. “I could use more cider, thank you kindly.”

Kote nodded to the individual, before shooting a glare at Bast as he walked away. 

“So, Kote,” The person spoke up loudly, putting their hand on the top of the tankard. “Bast here told me you struggle to sleep due to nightmares and the like? Is that true?”

Kote looked back to the two, glaring at Bast once more. “Sometimes.”

“I can help with that, if you’d allow me. You see, each fae tends to dabble just a bit more in one or two kinds of magic. Magic is abundant and wild, powerful and on occasion all consuming. Some of you humans have been tampering with magic– you all call it something else. None the less, Bast tends to lean into illusions and gods know what damn else with him–”

Bast elbowed them again and got up from the table to tend to the fire.

“–I myself deal in things more aligned to the mind. Memories, dreams, and whatever else have you. I’m certainly not the best out there, but I take pride in my dealings. From what Bast told me, I can help you sleep much better at night easily! Maybe even stop being so sad all the time and staring off. That really worries him you know.”

Bast threw words in the same language as before that Kote didn’t understand, making his friend sit up taller and cover their mouth softly. 

Kote found a bottle of cider and let out a sharp breath. “He really told you all of that, huh?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to say those things.” They replied quickly.

“How can you help me?” Kote said, trying to change the subject back to whatever fae magic they had to offer. “I don’t understand far magic much, if at all. How it works and why it works is a mystery.”

“As it should be to mankind.” They paused and looked to Bast, switching languages for a moment, before looking back to Kote and speaking again. “Bast says that some of your main troubles come from losing your parents? I’m sorry to hear that, it must have been hard… Though, he won’t tell me how, I can still work to get rid of those memories.”

The innkeeper paused, bottle set on the bar top and staring. Getting rid of their murder? Remembering seeing them as they were? That could be done? It was almost relieving, but a part of him paused and tensed. No, something seemed wrong. There was a catch, there always was. It wasn’t just something about forgetting part of his life that rubbed part of him the wrong way, but the look on the fae’s face said there was a bit more to it than just getting rid of such a gruesome scene. “…How?” He finally asked.

“Just by getting rid of all traces of them in your memory.” They said as if it wasn’t a huge deal.

Having to lose his parents was enough, so not being able to remember them at all terrified him. His heart stopped for a moment and a minute of terror crossed his face, paling and gripping the lip of the bar with his free hand to keep from falling over. His other hand held the bottle neck tightly, white knuckled and shaking slightly. The innkeeper opened his mouth slightly and took a breath, eyes darting away from the person as Bast yelped.

“Ow, ow, ow! Stupid fucking…” Bast hissed out, shaking his hand out and pacing a little as he blew on his hand. The fire had suddenly burst to life for a moment, enough to burn Bast’s hand. “Gods charred body, I hate tending to fires.”

The fae at the table stood part way to to tend to Bast, but looked to Kote curiously. “What? It’s not like human parents mean much. You all live so short and many of you just breed to breed. I’m sure losing a thought of them will do you much more good than harm in the long run.”

His blood ran cold. His next actions weren’t his own. How dare this fae speak of his parents as if they knew them. How dare they say that his parents were anything but truly and deeply compassionate and in love. How  _dare_  they act as though his parents meant nothing to him. As though they were meaningless people he didn’t care for. That he didn’t wish were back. That he wished had gotten away instead of him.

“Reshi! What the hell!?” Bast shouted, too late to intercept the bottle that was launched at the other fae. He rushed over to them and picked them up off the floor, putting a hand to their bleeding head. “What in Tehlu’s name was that for?! They were just trying to help!”

“…Get out…” The innkeeper growled through grit teeth.

“What?”

“I said GET OUT!” He shouted, pointing to the door. “They aren’t welcome here! Ever!”

Both fae looked startled and confused, Bast quickly looking guilty but the other one looked furious. “Is this how you treat all your guests?” They spat, using the table as help to stand. One arm was looped around Bast, helping them keep upright. “Throwing bottles at those you don’t want to hear talk anymore? All you humans are the damn same.”

“No, no! No, Reshi isn’t–!” Bast tried, looking nervously between the two.

“You’re lucky I hate your father enough not to go and tell him right now what you’re damn well up to, Bast.” They hissed.

Kote took offense and stood taller, clenching his jaw and trying to hold his tongue. His arms tingled all the way up to his shoulders, cold already setting in up to his elbows. He went to say more, but Bast spoke first.

“Lets just get you up to my room for the mean time. Okay? I’ll patch you up and we can fix this tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if I trust a wild and vicious manling such as that one enough to stay here. I wonder how you even keep here.” They said, but didn’t fight Bast as he dragged them along and up the stairs.

Left alone, Kote slammed his hands on the bar and took a deep breath, hanging his head and trying to calm down. Why had he done that? Why did he throw the bottle? Trying to put together why left him disoriented, almost needing to sit down. He had thrown a bottle at a fae’s head… Merciful Tehlu, what the hell had he just done?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you want more kkc oriented content, want to commission me, or want another blog to follow, check me out on tumblr! kote-the-inn-keeper.tumblr.com <3 Thanks for reading!


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